Career – Connexionista

Career

I’m A Big Catch!

By Karine August 6, 2018

The secret is finally out! Well, I suppose it wasn’t much of a mystery. I’ve been talking about the ladies over at Big Catch Communications for weeks now, and so anyone with a brain could have probably figured out that this was happening. Either way, it’s great to finally be able to talk about my new role with this talented team! There are so many reasons to get excited about this new adventure. They have so many diverse projects on the go at one time, creativity and thinking outside the box is highly encouraged, and every team member has a unique skill set. It’s incredible to see the conversations coming from one end of the studio to the next. What really stood out to me is how direct they are with their thoughts and opinions. What a breath of fresh air to see a group of intelligent and strong women…

Career

Living Without Regrets

By Tracy August 2, 2018

On March 15, 2018, I said goodbye to Canada and moved to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE is nestled between Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia on the Arabian Gulf which sounds super scary, but is paradoxically, incredibly safe. Abu Dhabi is also extravagantly wealthy, a glittering jewel in the heat of the desert. Even with oil prices down, there is still no income tax which means you can save loads of cash (assuming you don’t get sucked into the spending vortex that so many do). For those of us with the travel itch, Africa, Europe, India, and South East Asia are all a few hours away, so it’s also an ideal home base. As for the weather, while the summers are oppressively hot and muggy (high 40s with high humidity), the rest of the year is warm and sunny. By warm and sunny, I…

Career

Little Fish, Big Pond!

By Karine July 26, 2018

It’s been ten weeks since I left the comfort of regular work. Walking in at 9 am and wrapping it up by 5 pm. The usual grind and what most find to be the easiest to manage when it comes to scheduling and of course budgeting. But as all of you know, it wasn’t working for me. I needed a change, and so I walked away from it all in hopes that shortly I would find my place and begin working a little more independently and creatively. I immediately started living the barista life over at Love Love Food a couple of shifts per week while I got it all figured out. Tony was able to use some of my skills to help get his new shop organized, and so I’ve spent some time working behind the scenes too. This work helped him out after the big move, and it allowed…

Career

How do you measure success?

By Karine June 7, 2018

It’s 8:41 am. I’ve taken the time to read. I made a nutritious breakfast. (Not a smoothie bowl. OMG. What a disaster that was yesterday.) And now I’m sitting at the kitchen table writing. I wish I could be sitting in my office upstairs, but the wifi has been wonky for the last week, and I can’t stand it when it cuts in and out. I swear the rain affects the signal or transmitters or whatever connection lasers thingies are flying through the air to connect me to everyone. So, until I can figure out what’s going on, the kitchen table is where I’ll be working. It’s been one week since my last day at the office, and while this week isn’t a good representation of what my future holds, it’s been a strange and welcomed change. No more are the days of the 9-5 grind, but suddenly, I need…

Career

Contributors Wanted!

By Karine May 29, 2018

I’ve always wanted to connect good people with one another, but it seems I’ve gone about it the wrong way in the past. Trying to host events and coffee shop hangs, only to be disappointed that those who said they would attend bailed. I would invest time and money to make sure every detail was perfect, only to be let down. Don’t get me wrong, some gatherings were successful, and I’m grateful for the connections that I made, but for the most part, things just never worked as planned. I walked away from a significant project years ago because I just couldn’t put more time and energy into something that was draining me mentally. Fast forward five years later, and I’m finally ready to take a different approach. You’re busy. Incredibly, ridiculously busy. (Which is probably why you had a damn hard time showing up at my events.) Maybe you…

Career

What are you sacrificing for happiness?

By Karine May 26, 2018

It’s been all of eight minutes since I announced my plans to shift gears in my professional career. I can’t begin to tell you how many people have reached out with good wishes, encouraging words, and yes, even criticisms. I could sit here and tell you that it grinds my gears when people stick their noses in my business, but I’m choosing to share my story, so it’s going to come with the territory. For the most part, everyone has been incredibly supportive. My friends have reached out with nothing but love, my mom is cheering me on like my own personal cheerleader, and my husband has shown me a whole new side. He’s always reminding me that life is too short to be unhappy and that doing work that inspires me is essential. (Probably because he knows I’m a neurotic nut when I’m not being fuelled by exciting projects.) Like…

Career

Choosing Joy

By Karine May 21, 2018

Have you ever felt like you’re just not quite sure where you belong? What should you be doing with your life or where you should head next? No? Cool. Me either. Except that’s a lie and I’ve felt that way for some time. You would think that in your thirties a gal would have her shit together and be trucking along in an orderly fashion, but that’s not always the case. I’m pretty fortunate that some aspects of my life are well put together, but there’s a big part of me that feels like I’ve always just tried to fit in wherever it seemed convenient, and you know what? I’m tired of it. I’m tired of it because I don’t feel accomplished. I feel like everything I’m doing is to please others and when I’m not successful in doing so, I feel guilty. And we all know guilt is a…